Malaria and Molecular Diagnosis

Selma Usluca (Author)

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It is an endemic vector-borne parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In each endemic area, malaria is transmitted by a specific set of Anopheles species. Plasmodium consists of over 200 species, infecting mammals, birds, and reptiles, and malaria parasites generally tend to be host-specific. Plasmodium [...]

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    Work TypeBook Chapter
    Published inMolecular Approaches in Medicine
    First Page21
    Last Page48
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.69860/nobel.9786053359524.2
    Page Count28
    Copyright HolderNobel Tıp Kitabevleri
    Licensehttps://nobelpub.com/publish-with-us/copyright-and-licensing

    It is an endemic vector-borne parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In each endemic area, malaria is transmitted by a specific set of Anopheles species. Plasmodium consists of over 200 species, infecting mammals, birds, and reptiles, and malaria parasites generally tend to be host-specific. Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium knowlesi are the five known species of the genus Plasmodium that causes malaria in humans. Of the five Plasmodium species that cause malaria in humans, P. falciparum causes severe malaria. P. vivax is the most widespread malaria parasite globally. P. malariae is the least frequent and pathogenic, causing mainly asymptomatic infections with submicroscopic parasitemia, leading to low morbidity and mortality, although it can occasionally evolve with chronic renal disease. Different malaria species require distinct treatment regimens. Early and accurate diagnosis to specifically identify the infecting agent among all five malarial species is thus crucial for correct treatment and disease control. Prompt treatment is key to averting severe malaria and relies on access to accurate diagnosis and effective therapeutics. Several methods, such as microscopy-based analysis, rapid diagnostic test (RDT), serological methods, and molecular methods are available to diagnose malaria. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), which have advantages, such as high sensitivity and processivity and the capacity to identify drug-resistant strains, despite being more time consuming and expensive than microscopy and RDTs. PCR-based tests are also ideal for diagnosing mixed Plasmodium infections. However, PCR reliance on electricity, costly reagents and laboratory facilities for sample preparation have limited PCR to reference laboratories. To eliminate malaria, control and prevention efforts are necessary to reduce the prevalence of the disease and limit the development of drug resistance of the parasite. This requires a robust monitoring and surveillance system. Vector surveillance, larvae and vector control are also important. Vaccines and more recently, the use of monoclonal antibodies is needed for control of the disease. Enhanced surveillance and investigation of Plasmodium spp. genetic variations will contribute to the successful diagnosis and treatment of malaria in future.

    Selma Usluca (Author)
    Associate Professor, Atilim University
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8934-439X
    3Assoc. Prof. Selma Usluca is working as an associated professor at the Microbiology Department of Atilim University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. She graduated from Blacksea University School of Medicine in 1994. She completed her Doctoral degree (PhD, 2009) from the University of Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine Department of Parasitology, Izmir, Turkey. In 2020, she earned the academic degree of associated professor in medical parasitology. Between the year 2009 and 2011, she worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the same department. Between the year 2011 and 2023, she worked as a parasitologist in the Refik Saydam Hygiene Institute / General Directorate of Public Health, National Parasitology Reference Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey. Her career experience includes Laboratory Quality and Accreditation, laboratory diagnosis for parasitic diseases (molecular diagnosis of parasitology, clinical parasitology and serological methods of parasitology), teaching, training, and research, outbreak investigation, national malaria surveillance. She is a member of many professional associations and national committees in Turkey and serves on the journal editorial board. Member of Turkish Parasitology Association (2002-Currently), Member of European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (2015-Currently), Member of Turkish Microbiology Society (2016-Currently), Turkish Journal of Hygiene and Experimental Biology, Additional Member of Scientific Advisory Board (2014-2015), Turkish Microbiology Society Young Parasitology Working Group Member (2016-2018), Member of the Executive Board of the Turkish Microbiology Society Parasitology Working Group (2018-Currently), Membership of the Ministry of Health Leishmaniasis Working Group (2021-Currently), Turkish Microbiology Society Parasitology Working Group Executive Committee Secretariat (2022-Currently), Editorial Member of International Journal of Infectious Diseases and Therapy (2023-Currently), Editorial Board Member, Journal of Infectious Diseases & Travel Medicine (2023-Currently). She serves as a referee in many national and international journals. She has published articles in many national and international journals. She has published book chapters and book chapter translations in national and international publisher. Research interest are Medical Parasitology, Molecular Parasitology, Blood and Tissue Parasites, Gastrointestinal Parasites, Malaria, Leishmaniasis, Toxoplasmosis, Diagnostic Methods of Parasites, Laboratory Quality and Accreditation.

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